Music-story's audio Reviews on Newgrounds

[Zenvo - Euphoria]

Hey, nice stuff here.

Never heard of voltage square records. Hold it does well as well as your zenvo group. Here are my thoughts.

Now I'm using Beats Studio headsets so I'm hearing everything you intended for. With that said, I think your 1st instrument would have sounded better if the reverb actually stayed for the entire delay effect. Perhaps less color could fix that. The ravy lead instrument is quite nice especially with the accompanying background instrument at 0:31. Bass is nice and subby. Kick is powerful, but the high hats and clap are somewhat weak.

The ravy instrument may need a compositional change. It doesn't sound very catchy. Not sure what else to say here.

1:32 good use of the new instrument acting as harmony.

2:00 I feel the song went downhill here. You definitely can make nice sounding instruments, but the composition feels so bland. You seem to be relying on the bass, kick, and chordal instrument to get this song through. The best producers in the world have a music background and I'm expecting you to have one too. So show it. I know you can do much better with that piano composition.

The rest of the song repeats so I'm not going to say the same things I said earlier.
I'm the type of person that loves diverse songs so yours comes off quite repetitive. However, well done on the instrumental production. Mixing and mastering seem to be good. Kudos to this NuC person. Piano is the glaring problem, but overall one of the better songs on NG. Keep it up.

5/5 review and vote.
Bye for now

Xsalvaz responds:

Thank you man! Very very good, well stated review (keeping in mind it's our first track). All notes have been taken into consideration, and I think you'll really like a new track we have coming out soon.
~X

[Intrinsic]

Hmm, so its pretty late here. Not going to make a detailed review.

The trend I notice is that you start the song nicely, 0:15 goes slightly downhill as the intense feel has now turned into some happy hardcore stuff which I like to call teenager music. Picks up again at 0:45 and I have to add that the lead instrument buildup sounds a bit weak. Climax good use of percussion, but I'm still not liking that lead instrument. Doesn't match with those intense drums. Good use of sidechaining.
1:58 piano composition sounds a bit like "one finger composition" which wouldn't be a problem if it was better made in sound quality. I fell like this part is where you spent the least time on.

Yeah, I know rushed review. Overall, you made a song where half the instruments are good and the other half sound rushed. I would classify parts of the song as video game music which is probably not what you were going for. I also feel that you know how to use your music program well, but the composition is your weakest part. If you can get that improved on, all your future stuff will be that much better. You at least agree with me for the piano composition right...especially the ending.

5/5 review and vote.
I am usually on NG only for the first 2 weeks of my new quarter before I'm absent for the next 9-10 weeks so if you ever wonder where I am, you know now.

Lockyn responds:

No problem, and your reviews are always very thorough and detailed, which I love and appreciate - so thank you!

I agree with the "one finger composition" about the piano, and the general composition of the song. I purposefully skimped on it (mostly because I had no motivation to do anything about it once I had halfassed it already). And you're right, I wasn't going for a video game music feel. But, I was happy enough with the climax - and I do agree with the lead instrument. I was never quite happy with how it sounded, but I had already spent so much time changing it and changing it and changing it... xD I was getting sick of listening to this song LOL.

As always, thank you so much for the review, and please make some new stuff so I can enjoy and review it :) And I did wonder about that occasionally, so thank you for letting me know.

[Tim Endew - 79 (At Life's End)]

Well that is quiet a statement to say this song is going big in a month. Well I hope it does as I always support up and coming artists. However, there are a few things that need to be improved on before you make that final push.

Does your inspiration come from the trance group W & W? Anyway, the intro is good. 0:15 interesting use of the snare roll. I think that lead instrument can be improved on. Your drums sound hardcorish, but the composition sounds so mellow. A little weird to me. The order is restored at 0:30. I like the suspenseful fx sounds.

0:46 your pad seems a bit weak. Perhaps not loud enough? Maybe needs some modulation to it to be more interesting? Can't quite point it out.

1:16 I think your percussion muffles out the bass. I know the bass is playing some arpeggio pattern or if not it definitely isn't just a pad sustained for a long period of time. However, because I can't pick it out easily there needs to be better mixing here.

2:00 not a real fan. Never was a fan of vocal clips such as you did at 2:14 but that is a matter of opinion.

Overall,the song started off on a good note. There is good emotion put in this song too. Some instrumental revision is needed and few mixing corrections here and there. Though I am not a fan of hard trance, I know I have heard much more "hardcorish" tunes than yours (eg. black sensation) and I think the reason is because you relied too much on that fuzzy lead and drums to get through through this song. There are many more ways to make a song more explosive. Things like fx in areas other than the transition areas, more harmonies, increased presence on the instruments (use less reverb on that bass at 1:16), etc. I can tell you know your music well enough so I don't need to tell you the other ways and you probably know more about hard trance than me. Just stating my comparisons to other hard trance songs i have heard.

5/5 vote and review
Bye for now

D-Chain responds:

thanks for the long review there, didnt see it coming tho.
interesting pointers throughout! the mixing indeed needs improvement such as the arp bass you mentioned
the pad you mention however is weak because its playing the underline e.g the bass line.
i dont feel it needs more volume as the upper line has enough power.

what i dont get is why you call this hard trance?
im not sure what time period you are from but this is EDM (electronic dance music) or in short terms BIGROOM!
hard trance is a small part of EDM and has a BPM of 140++ , follows constant BEATS by that i mean it has more then 1 beat at a time and has cheesy melodies and also has puncier kickdrums!
i consider my kickdrum punches rather weak if i compare it to hardtrance..
also my melodies are more emotional rather then just 'hands-up'

and yes, i know my stuff well and W&W as you stated at the start might have given me some inspiration!

overall i would give this review a 7 out of 10 due to unclair statements.
however i thank you for listening and again the long review!

T.

PS: i assume you never go to trance parties or house parties since your not a fan of the 2:00 part
no matter however, its no shame because i have only been once back in the day.

[Shabadaman - Mizule]

I think D-chain has made comments that I agree with for the most part so to save time I will only say the things he/she didn't yet.

Well, I'm always a fan for diversity and this is one of a few trance songs that is more diverse. Still somewhat repetitive for me, but I understand trance is supposed to be repetitive.

I've said to this quite a few producers on NG and I will say it to you too. Percussion with high frequencies emphasized is a good thing. Don't drown them out. That clap needs to sound more upfront and crisper.

Around 0:40 your choice of lead instrument is not that good. Sounds like a preset that has little work done on it.
D-chain mentioned of the awkward drums you used around 1:12, but I kind of liked the change from the four to the floor drum pattern. Interesting idea, though the accompanying composition could have been a bit better.

Your choice, but I suggest never to add in vocals that act like MC. Only live MCs should say stuff like that, not in a song.

Overall I feel like this song is mostly bass and nothing else. I think you should have spent more time making a melody and harmony. Then again, you only spent 5 hours. Try to make a song that takes longer than 5 hours....like a couple of weeks. At least I could tell you had fun making this and that is what matters the most.

5/5 vote and review.
Bye for now

Shabadaman responds:

Wow, that's what I call a review! I'll be sure to implement the changes you've recommended in my next production, thanks for the critique! :D

[Lex Ellis - Miami Beach Party]

My first impression is that the song feels a bit empty for a party. Perhaps more fx and/or layering would bring a more exciting feel.

Good use of panning fx and delay, however the instruments don't bring excitment. Sounds like preset instruments with lots of fx placed on it. I have a feeling you did not spend much time with your EQ and waveforms to create more fun sounds.

The drums sound like they have a high cut filter on. Percussion sounds much better with a low cut filter to bring out the high frequencies.

Overall, a good song. You can either make more exciting instruments, or more exciting composition. However, I prefer you work on both to get a nice party song. Good luck and have fun making music.

5/5 vote + review. Bye for now

AlxEllis responds:

Music-Story! long time no see! always a pleasure to have a review.

Sadly yes these are presets I am clueless on how to use Sytrus in Fl Studio, presets only haha sadly :( and yes I had a few people saying it sounds a bit empty, I am working on more dance/club stuff at the moment, I hope to get better! :)

I wasn't sure about the drums I was attempting to make sure they don't get drowned out, but again not the best with Sytrus! :(

Thanks for the review, It is good to get some constructive reviews recently I had a few which were basically "I don't like it, Bye!" and I was like "Ahem...care to elaborate!"

Good to see you again Music-Story, I hope all is going well, might send you a pm! :) Take Care

Kind Regards, Lex!

[(8-bit) A Labor of Love]

Hi Praetor 22,

I must say that I am not well aware about video game music so I be surprised if you disagree with a lot of what I have to say.

What game is this from? Sounds like something from those fantasy rpg games. Nevertheless, the song is composed in key so kudos on that. Good choice on taking out the vocal part. I think it would have fit well.

torn over the quality of the instruments. One part of me is saying to improve them, but the other side of me is saying this is a 8 bit song and is supposed to have these kinds of instruments. Good stuff with the fuzzy sounds to the instruments. I suggest you make your own instruments rather than from a VST. I know what music program you use, but I know my music program has to give that 8 bit feel. Lets me truly be creative with my 8 bit like I ever use it though since I focus on video game music. Since you used a VST, I believe you took a short cut to produce this song which means there is more room for improvement and inspiration.

As for the melody, not sure how this relates to potatoes, toaster, and poptarts. This song could have easily been a loop since there much variety going on. I think I hear any chords going on giving me the picture that this was played with 1 finger and layered over top with more 1 finger playing. Is that normal in 8 bit music? I grew up with 16 bit so I really make the call.

I am going to stop here. Overall song is pleasant. always a bigger fan for people that start from scratch producing everything including the instruments (drums I let by). I would like a more complex composition, but maybe just a 16 bit guy.

5/5 Best of luck in your future songs.

NoStereo responds:

Thanks for the incredibly detailed review! I'll try to answer all of your questions.

The song is actually an original, not a remix. As for the instruments, I have found a lot of people tend to disagree iver that sort of thing, so it leads me to believe it is simply a matter of preference. Yes I do admit that I used a VST, however I did change a lot of settings to try and customize the sound, creating an instrument from scratch is still something I am not comfortable with. I do agree with you though, I am working constantly on improvement and this is a huge area i can improve.

Yeah, I was bored and hate coming up with tags sometimes, so I just type random words that pop into my head. Maybe I shouldn't I don't know.

You really hit hard with this next bit. As of right now I am completely freelance, self-taught and totally inexperienced. I have been doing music, going with my gut, to produce something for fun. It hasn't been serious until lately, I now really want to take classes in music and learn the science behind making music. I am by no means an expert on music so when it comes to chords and other elements in music similar, I'm stumped.

I do my best though, and I am currently looking into taking classes to learn how to play instruments as well as planning to go to college for music because I believe I may have a future in it.

Once again, thanks for the awesome review, it is always nice to have somebody willing to truly delve into a song and critique it this well! :)

[Prototype]

Hi Corbetto,

I hope your experience with your new music program has been going well. Not sure what previous program you used. I will take into consideration of your recent technological change in my review.

The buildup for the most part is good. Has a good amount of fill alone. The highly reverbed cymbal clash to start the song is a nice touch. 0:16 well played. My only concern is that the instrument does not sound as as I would have liked. Have you ever heard of trance anthem songs? Trance Energy concerts tend to have the best anthems (my opinion). Your bass lacks some power. Perhaps layer it with a sub-bass and intensify the higher misconception is that people think bass should only have lower frequencies intensified. This will only give the messy dull sound. With high frequencies emphasized, the bass becomes crisper and clear.

0:11 the layered instrument is a good idea compositionally. Again, there needs to be more emphasis on the higher frequencies on that instrument as it sounds washed down. Add in some reverb to that instrument too. Listen to Breeze (Martin Roth Summer style remix). Note the high frequencies emphasized for the lead instrument. Also notice at 0:28 of that song when the bass comes in. it sound much crisper when higher frequencies are involved in a trance dance like song?

0:46 Where did the climax go? I know your new to your program still, but certain FL has much better drum loops than that. Just a generic kick and clap? This is where you really needed to add reverb. Climax also requires the bass. Everything should come together here, but unfortunately it does not. I was also hoping for a new composition to the same beat again. sure your spending plenty of time learning how to use your program, which is a good thing. However, skip on spending time composing your song (notes wise). A good idea is to play a beat with a bland instrument. For example, choose a piano preset and just play something. If you manage to compose a song that keeps you interested throughout, then convert the score so it is played with well produced instruments and fx. A common error that many musicians make including myself is that we get caught up in the special effects that we fail to recognize our lack of innovativeness in the score of the song.

1:20 I noticed you emphasized more reverb and the delay to the bass. Good job here, but again it needs to be more clean sounding. Not much more to add here as the song is looping.

Overall, I am impressed with what you were able to accomplish in just 2 months with your new program. There is still room for improvement. Whatever you do, never use that horrific oscillation pattern that so many FL based artists use in any of your future songs. Not saying you used it in this song...just giving the heads up. Anyway, work on cleaning up your instruments. Reverb is important, however more reverb = more messy therefore compensate with higher frequencies. Play around with your keyboard to come up with a more original score. And as always, have fun making music. 5/5

benc98 responds:

This is by far the greatest review i have ever received on one of my songs and i can not express how much i appreciate it. The advice and examples you have given me are just great. Your comments and suggestions have motivated me to learn more about making music than just the composing, so i can get my songs to a higher quality standard. You have helped me a lot with this review, thank you Music-story.

[Sequence WIP]

How many WIP are you working on? Don't take my advice if you don't want to, but it is better to keep some of your WIP behind the scenes. Wait till the song is fully finished. That will make the final version sound "newer" and showcase all the effort put in. Note I said some of your WIP not all. I'm just saying when you know you have a good beat, keep it under wraps till its finished. Anyway, on to the demo.

I'm enjoying the drums. Sounds clear and hard. The thump adds much to the electro feel. I'm surprised how well the clash of the cymbals added to the climax. If anything to make the cymbals better is to have them panning left and right in line with the kicks. Perhaps also fading out at the same time.

Buildup fx put some more fill. Perhaps add another layer and slowly add in white noise. What makes house music neat is that it builds up to a extreme (for a lack of a better term) "messy" point with white noise, side chained fx splashes, filter rises, etc. and then all of a sudden goes "clean". You do that, but it can be much more emphasized with a better fx rise.

Enjoying the happy instrument used during the buildup. As for the other happy instrument at the end of the song...good but kind of brings the song's potential down. It sounds fine when all the other instruments are going, but not as a solo. Perhaps you could automate the filters on that instrument. Your already going for a fierce style so might as well turn that happy into "saw" mode. (That is a tough thing for me to say since I'm a fan for happy songs...but sometimes too happy doesn't mesh with this kind of theme).

I know everyone is entitled to their opinion. I know previous reviewers have said other things, but I think your build up is a perfect length. Just needs a better fx as I already mentioned. The climax is a good length to me. Among the AP artists, yes you could do the typical repeating the climax for another 4 bars and that will get you popular. However, that will not make your song stand out outside of the AP...especially since you got pros like skrillex, fedde le grand, stefano prada, etc. who by no disrespect to you are the better ones. You can be different by making this more than just a progressive house song that all the artists make. If you can manage to keep the song exciting for 3:30 mins while successfully transitioning at a quick pace (eg. every minute a new theme pops up) you will stand out from the rest. Not even skrillex does that. What ever you do, do not rush this song. Take your time.

Usually I don't say much in a short 1 minute demo. However, I see the potential here and I want you to succeed in what you got. Don't mess it up. :) 5/5 and let me know when the final version comes out.

Bye for now

Lockyn responds:

First of all, thank you so much for your extremely detailed review. I find myself looking forward to seeing your comments and suggestions ^__^ thank you thank you!

I think I have about 20 different WIPs that I'm hoping to release together. four of them are on newgrounds, this one included ^__^ The biggest trouble I have is finishing a song. I always seem to ruin the finished product... which is why I post the in progress so people get a taste and can suggest things to my stupid brain LOL. I do agree that I should wait for a finished product with some WIPs - I'll try my best to finish things up before posting!

The drums were the part that satisfied me the most actually, so thank you for that. The cymbals are actually already panned - I cloned the sample and put one on each side of the stereo spectrum and offset the timing by a couple millisec. Or do you mean something else...?

The buildup was a temporary fix to make it listenable - I can guarantee it will be different - more layered, complex, and satisfying. I will spend LOTS of time making sure the buildup is satisfactory. I agree with your clean vs. dirty idea!

I think what I really enjoy doing in many of my productions is putting grindier saw stuff next to softer rounded sine stuff. Maybe I'm weird. I like how it sounds side by side! I will try mixing things up and putting more variety of sawlike and sinelike instruments - we'll see how varied my synthesis can get LOL

I completely respect your statement and agree - I am no where near the level of professional producers. I'm not even on the level of many of the extremely talented producers here on NG xD Don't worry, I take my time and my own ideas with things. If anything else, you'll know that whatever comes out at the end will be a 100% original production with fresh ideas. It might sounds hipster but I can't stand it when people just repeat 4x4 phrases and string them together with minimal variation for a song xD You can count on me being varied and creative with my pieces - I put it out as I see it!

Thanks so much again, and you can be sure I won't mess it up :D I will let you know! Cheers!

[Conquer the World (loop)]

According to you, this loop was made a while back so I am going in thinking your newer projects are better. As for this loop, it does not seem well mixed. Somewhat messy throughout. The instruments need better production value. Perhaps get rid of the fuzzy lead instrument and replace it with a clean instrument?

The drums do not add much to the song. Just a kick?

I'm not going to say much more because I have a feeling you just wanted to get this song out and not do anymore to it. Correct me if I am wrong. 5/5 and let me know when your bigger project comes out. I'll take a look at that one and give you a more in-depth review.
Bye for now

NoStereo responds:

Yeah you are mostly correct. I'm in between projects right now so I decided to release this.
I may go back to it though and do some cleaning up and perhaps extend it.
(I admit, the drums were quite lazy)

I consider myself better at doing classical songs than electronica, but I'm trying to find and perfect a technique to break into the electronica genre a little more.

I'll most certainly let you know when I release something else and thanks for the review! :)